Sheet glass apparatus



Patented Aug. 23, 1932 UNITED *ST-ES PATENT OFFICE I Y FRANKJ. KIN'GAID, F CHARLESTON, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR T0 LIBBEY-OWENS- FORD GLASS COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, CORPORATION OF OHIO seiner GLASS APPARATUS Applicationfiled June 25, 1931. Serial No. 546,837. 7

The present invention relates to improvements in the art of drawing sheet glass.

This invention, although not limited to use in connection with any particular type of sheet drawing mechanism, has been especially designed for use with the Colburn machine for producin sheet glass wherein the sheet is continuously drawn upwardly from a shallow pool of molten glass and then, while still somewhat plastic, is deflected about a bending roll into a horizontal plane. The sheet is then reheated and carried through a combined drawing and flattening mechanism wherein the glass becomes set in final sheet form after which it is passed horizontally through an annealing leer.

Some of the objects of the invention are to provide novel means for more effectively controlling the temperature inside the sheet drawing machine; for directing the flow of heated, dirt-carrying gases away from the bending roll so as to maintain the said roll cleaner; and for also removing burnt gases from inside the machine, thereby aiding in combustion.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent during the course of the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing forming a part of this aplication and wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a sheet glass drawing machine em bodying the present invention, and

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1.

The shallow pool of molten glass 5 contained in the receptacle or draw pot 6 is in open communication with a continuous tank furnace or other source of supply, with the molten pool being maintained at the proper working temperature by suitably supporting the said receptacle over a heating chamher. The glass sheet 7 is drawn upwardly from the surface of the molten pool 5 until R substantially set in final sheet form but still suificiently plastic to be deflected into the horizontal plane about a cooled bending roll 7 8. A reheating burner 9 plays upon the sheet 7 just as it-leaves the bending roll and serves to soften it sufliciently so that any waves or corrugations which may be imparted thereto by its passage over roll 8 can be drawn out in the horizontal run of the sheet. The sheet then passes over an intermediate supporting roll 10 and thence through the combined drawing and flattening mechanism contained within the housing or chamber 11.

The drawing and flattening mechanism comprises a suitably driven endless supporting table 12 preferably formed of a plurality of intermeshing pivotally connected'links 13. This endless table is trained about driven sprockets or drums 14, and the upper horiaontal run thereof, which forms a flat moving supporting surface for the glass sheet, slides over the upper flat surface of a stationary "supporting table 15. Above the sheet is a second endless belt arrangement 16 trained about drums or sprockets 1'7 and including a series of transverse draw bars 18 which rest upon the edge portions of the sheet to hold the said sheet in frictional drawing contact with table 12. The drawing and flattening mechanism has been illustrated rather diagrammatically as the particular construction thereof per se forms no part of the present invention, and since all of the mechanism above described may be substantially the same as set forth more in detail in the Colburn'Patent No. 1,248,809,;issued December 4, 1917.

The temperature 'of the chamber 11 hous ing the drawing and flattening mechanism above described may be controlled by means of gas burners 19 or in any other desired manner. I After emerging from the drawingmechanism, the sheet 7 passes into an annealing leer 20 wherein it is supported and carried along upon a series of horizontally aligned leer rolls 21, the temperature of the said leer being controlled by suitable burners or the like 22.

In accordance with the present invention, there is positioned at substantially the juncture of the chamber 11 and leer 20 a plate 23 provided With an opening 24 therein, said opening being preferably elongated and extending transversel substantially the entire width of the IIlZlClllIlfl. Disposed above the opening 24 and in communication therewith is a vertical stack or chimney 25 within which is arranged a damper 26, said stack being supported directly upon the plate 23, with the lower portion 27 thereof surrounding an upstanding flange 28 formed upon said plate. The stack gradually'tapers upwardly from opposite sides of the machine and terminates in a Vertical cylindrical portion 29 within which the damper 26 is situated. The stack may also be provided at its upper end with a cap or cowl 3O swiveled thereupon so that it may be revolved in a manner to improve the draft of the stack.

The provision of the stack 25 is of a decided advantage in controlling the temperature inside of the drawing machineand this can be accurately and conveniently vaccomplished upon proper adjustment of the damper 26. Furthermore, the draft of the stack serves to direct the flow of heated, dirtcarrying gases away from the bending roll 8, thus keeping this roll cleaner. In addition to the above, the stack greatly facilitates the removal of burnt gases from inside the machine and thus aids in combustion.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as the preferred embodiment of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for producing sheet glass, the combination of means for drawing a sheet upwardly from a bath of molten glass, means for deflecting the sheet in advance of said drawing means into the horizontal plane, a chamber housing said drawing means, an annealing leer for receiving the sheet as it leaves the drawing chamber, and a stack communieating with said chamber and leer at substan tially the juncture thereof to assist in controlling the temperature therein.

2. In apparatus for producing sheet glass, the combination of means for drawing a sheet upwardly from a bath of molten glass, means for deflecting the sheet in advance of said drawing means into the horizontal plane, a chamber housing said drawing means, an annealing leer for receiving the sheet as it leaves the drawing chamber, and means disposed at substantially the juncture of said chamber and leer to assist in controlling the temperature thereof, said means including a plate having an opening therein, and a stack supported upon said plate and being in communication with the chamber and leer through said opening.

'3. In apparatus for producing sheet glass,

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